Ghana loses out with EU import ban

Ghana is expected to lose billions from non-traditional exports following the country's food and agriculture ministry's ban on vegetable exports to the European Union market. The ban follow the interception of a number of fruit and vegetables with harmful organisms and incomplete documentation. According to the European Union Notification System for Plant Health Interceptions Ghana is among countries with the highest number of interceptions on fruit and vegetables exported to the EU. While notifications have been made since 2012, - on okra, yams and bananas containing excessive chemicals - interceptions peaked in 2014, due to the detection of thrips and moulds and again in 2015 due to incomplete documentation. This ban is evidence that smallholder farmers need support to export to the EU market where export regulations are stricter than the local market.